Instbucting-ikdicatoe fob musical instrukek ts



E. M. SCHANTZ.

INSTRUCTING INDICATOR FOR MUSICAL INSTR UMENIS.

4 APPLICATION FILED AUG.II. 1917. 1,324,276. Patented Dec. 9,1919.

4 SHEETS-S ET I.

I III I I I I I I1 I I I I I I I l I II I I I I I I I i-451.2; I R, /6 66 71 722631 eaa:

E. M. SCHANTZ.

INSTRUCTING INDICATOR FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-11,19I7.

1,324,276. Patented Dec. 9,1919.

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C:iiiiijiiii i J 1;

E. M. SCHANTZ.

msmucnwe INDICATOR FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I1, 1917.

Patented Dec. 9,1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3 SI-a.---

fizvenzzn' I ZJwin/MAS CMRZ Z E. M. SCHANTZ.

INSTRUCTING INDICATOR FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJI. 1917.

1,324,276. Patented Dec. 9,1919.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

EDWIN M. SCI-IANIZ, or on icrieo, rumors.

INSTRUCTING-INDICATOR- FQR MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Q.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented nee, a, isia Continuation of application Serial No. 794,953,fi1ed 0ctober 13, 1913. This application filed August 11, 1917. SerialIto. 1853M.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN 'SCHANTZ, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Instructing-Indicatorsfor Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification Thisinvention relates to improvements in apparatus for teaching music, andthe present application is a continuation of my prior pendingapplication, Serial No. 794,953, filed October 13, 1913, as to allsubject matter common to the two applications: The form of my inventionembodied in the present application is claimed broadly in my co-pendingapplication, Serial 619,290, filed April 6, 1911, renewed Mch. 4, 1919,as Ser. No. 280,654.

My improved apparatus is adapted for use in the musical art forsignaling or otherwise indicating on the keyboard of a piano, or thelike, such subjects as tone duration, the key or keys to be played, thesequence in which the keys are to be played, the fingering to be used,and for other like purposes The obj ect of the invention is to provideimproved apparatus for teaching music by means of visual signals whichare actuated in the sequence in which the corresponding keys'of a piano,or the like, should be operated to play a musical composition. Thecorrect fingering is indicated in my improved device by actuating thesignals representing one or more keys to be played and simultaneouslyactuating a number of additional signals to complete a group of five,thereby indicating to the pupil the exact portion of the keyboard uponWhich the hand should be placed, after which the added signals may bereleased or deenergized in order to indicate the key or keys to beplayed, and also the finger 0r fingers of the hand thus'placed whichshouldbe used in playing said key or keys,

The chord formation, phrasing, and the like of a musical composition, isdetermined by the instructor from a study of the coinposition and thenindicated by actuating the signals corresponding to the appropriatenotes and keys.

An auxiliary signal is used for teaching 5 meter, pedaling, rhythm,etc.; the use of this si nal is'first explained to the pupil who willthen understand that when the signal is actuated the pedal, forinstance,

should be used. The present invention also provides means whereby theteacher can operate his instrument in unison with the student, therebymaking'it possible for the teacher to prompt the student eliiciently.Means is further provided for actuating a number of signals and keepingsuch signals in operation, which is often desirable where there are morekeys to be played than can be simultaneously operated by the teacher,and, when it is desirous to have a number of the keys signaled-at onetime, for instance in teaching three or four octaves of an arpeggio,This'improvement also provides means for maintaining a certain group ofsignals in operation continuously while all of the other signals thatmay be actuated are actuated for the periods, only, during which thecorresponding keys should be played,

The various features and advantages of theinvention will appear moreclearly from the following specification taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which'one embodiment of the invention isillustrated, lln the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective View of a pianoto which the instructing apparatus has been applied, the primary orinst-ructors instrument being shown at the right of the piano;

Fig, 2 is a diagrammatic view of the electr c connections of theapparatus shown in Fig. 1; i

Fig, 3 shows a vertical sectional view through the key board and lowerpart of the auxiliary or teachers instrument illustrating in detail themeans for controlling the continued actuation of any. signal or group ofsignals;

Fi a is an enlarged detail view similar to Fig. 3showingthe commoncontact bar in its second position adapted to maintain a group ofsignals in actuation for a continued period after being actuated;

Fig/5 is a'view similar to Fig. 4,- showing the common contactvbar inits third position adapted to release any one or more of the signalsafter they have once been set for continued operation;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figs a and 5 showing the common contact barin a fourth poisition wherein it releases all of the signa s;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged front elevation of the indicating chart or boardabove the keyboard of the pupils instrument;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view through the same showing themounting of one of,

the signals;

Fig. 9 shows a front elevation of the pupils instrument and of theinstructors instrument when embodied in a second piano;

Fig. 10 shows means for actuatingthe signals mechanically, this form ofthe invention being illustrated as an attachment whereby the keys on onepart of the keyboard may be used by the teacher for instructing thepupil in playing the keys on another part of the keyboard of the samepiano; and I Fig. 11 is a detail perspective view with parts thereofbroken away showing the invention embodied in apparatus wherein thesignals are operated by pneumatic means.

In the drawings I have illustrated a piano 15 of ordinary constructionhaving the usual keyboard 16 comprising the white keys 16 and theblackkeys 16". Located at one side of the piano 15, which is to be used bythe pupil, is the instructors instrument 17 having a keyboard 18comprising white keys-18 and black keys l8 which preferably correspondin size, shape, and arrangement to the keys of the piano. Otheractuating members may be employed instead ofkeys if desired. Althoughthe masters instrument has been illustrated in Fig. 1 as being embodiedin a clavier'not adapted to produce sound, it will be understood thatthe masters instrument may comprise an ordinary piano as illustrated inFig. 9. v

A bar 20 is mounted above the keyboard 16 of the piano and is supportedat its opposite ends by extensible arms 21 which engage the check blocks22 at opposite ends of the piano. Supporting arms 23 are attached to theextensible arms 21, and the length and osition of the arms 21 and 23 maybe adusted by screws 24 in order to fix the bar- 20 in the desiredposition above and in front of the keyboard. The bar 20 carries a seriesofsignals 25 which, in this embodiment of the invention, are illustratedas electric lamps mounted within the bar'20 as shown in Fig. 8. Theselamps are located in suitable re'cesses or sockets 20 which are formedin the bar 20, and an aperture 26 closed by a glass plate 26*, 26 isprovided in the bar opposite each of the lamps so that when a signal isactuated the light therefrom will shine through the correspondingaperture and indicate to the pupil that the adjacent key is to beplayed. It will be understood that these signals are arranged adjacentthe guished from those corresponding to the white keys 16, the signalsare preferably arranged in two rows or tiers .27, as shown in, Fig. 1,the upper row of signals relating to the black keys and the lower row tothe white keys. It will be understood, of course, that other schemes maybe employed for distinguishing the signals relating to the differentkeys for instance, the'glass plates 26 in the upper row closing theapertures 26 may be made a different color from the plates 26 in thelower row. 'In order that each of the keys and each corresponding signalmay be identified in the mind of the pupil with the corresponding note,a staff 30 1s provided on the front face of the bar 20, and the notes ormusical characters 31 corresponding'to each key of the piano are printedthereon immediately above the respective keys and signals.

The keys 18 of the masters instrument are pivoted at 32, as shown inFig. 2, and each key is provided on the upper side thereof with acontact plate 33 extending in an upward direction, the contact platesfor the various keys being arranged inalinement as shown. hen the keys18 are in their normal positions, the upper edges of the contact the bar20 through the contact springs 42 by which the signal lamps 25 are heldin position as shown in Fig. 8. Other branch conductors 43 lead from theother terminals of the signal lamps, each of the conductors 43 beingconnected to a plate 44 located opposite to the key of the series 18which corresponds to the key of the series 16 opposite .to which thecorresponding signal lamp 25 is located. The plates 44 are mounted on aninsulating bar 45 and are provided with ofl'set flanges 44* adapted toengage the leaf springs 46 carried by the keys of the keyboard 18. Eachleaf spring 46 is connected through a conductor 47 with the contactplate 33 mounted on the same key. It will be seen, therefore, that whenone of the plates 33 engages the common plate 35 a circuit will beestablished through the signal lamp 25 located adjacent the key of the.piano which corresponds to the key 18 by which the particular plate 33in question is carried. The circuits are established through the lampswhen the keys 18 are moved downwardly about their pivots 32.

t at,

the plates 33 moving through arcs which bring them into contact with theplate 35 after the keys have been depressed. The

springs 46 operate to restore the keys after they have been released bythe fingers of the teacher. I The teacher sitting at the mastersinstrument may therefore operate the keys 18 in proper combination andsequence in accordance with the notes of a particular musicalcomposition, and thereby actuate the signals 25 to indicate the order inwhich the keys of the piano should be manipulated by the pupil in orderto play the composition in response to the teachers instruction. As eachsignal is actuated the pupil will play the corresponding key and willcontinue the actuation of the key as long as the corresponding signallamp is lighted, so that the order in which the signals are played aswell as the tone duration is indicated to the pupil. At the same timethat the signals are actuated the pupil may note the musical characters31 on the stafi 30 opposite to the signals which are actuated, thuslearning the musical characters at the same time that the composition isplayed.

In order to permit the teacher to discontinue the operation of thesignals when desired, a switch is provided in the conductor 38 and thisswitch is normally closed by a spring 50 and may be opened by an extrapedal 51 adapted to be. controlled by the foot of the teacher to permithim to operate the device without actuating the signals Fhr the purposeof indicating to the pupil the proper use of the pedals 52 of the piano,indicated in Fig. 9, or in order to teach meter, rhythm, and the like,the teacher may make use of an additional signal lamp 5a which isconnected by a conductor 55 to one terminal of the battery 39 andthrough another conductor 56 to a. switch 57' controlled by anotherpedal 58. The switch 57 is connected through another conductor 59 to theconductor 38 which leadsto the other terminal of the battery. The switch57* is normally maintained in open position by a spring 57*, but whenthe pedal 58 is depressed by the foot of the teacher the signal lamp 54will be energized to indicate to the -instruction in three or fouroctaves of an arpeggio, for example, to actuate a number of signals andkeep such signals in operation while a number of other signals are beingsuccessively actuated and corresponding keys played.

are I have therefore provided means for maintaining a circuit through anumber of the signals for a perlod after the corresponding keys of themastefls'mstrument have been depressed, this apparatus being illustratedparticularly in Figs. 3, 4-, 5 and 6. The common contact plate 35, whichhas previously'been described as being carried on pivotally mounted arms36, is'adapted to be moved about the pivots 37, and the arms 36 arenormally maintained in their lowermost positions against the stop 60 bymeans of coil springs 61. When in this position the arms are engaged bya rod 62 which extends downwardly beneath the keyboard 18 and isprovided with a series of pins 63, 611-, and 65 arranged to be engagedby the inner ends of the pedals 66, 67, and 63, respectively. Thelowerlimits of movement'of the pedals are determined by the stops 69,70, and 71. It will be understood that these pedals 66, 67, and 68, aswell as the pedals 51 and 58 previously described, may be locatedadjacent the usual pedals of the piano when the masters insti ument isembodied in an ordinary piano as illustrated in Fig, 9." The stops 69,70, and 71 are spaced different distances from the corresponding pedals66, 67 and 68 as shown in Fig. 3 for-the purpose to be hereinafterdescribed.

Tn Fig. 3 the contact plate 35 is shown in its normal position whereinthe depression of a key will cause the contact plate 33 to engage thelower edge of the plate 35 and thereby establish a closed circuitthrough the corresponding signal 25. If the pedal 'then when the keysare released the plates 33 will pass upwardly on the opposite side ofthe plate 35 and thus maintain a contact therewith even when thecorresponding keys are not depressed. In this way a number of keys maybe played to indicate a chord or the like of the composition beingstudied, and then when these keys are released the circuits will bemaintained through the corresponding signals to maintain'a permanentindication for the pupil during thecontinued playing of the composition.

After a number of signals have been set to be continued in operation bythe actuation of the pedal 66,-it may be desired to re-. lease one ormore of these signals at willas the instruction continues, and toaccomplish this result the teacher may depress the pedal 67 which willthen elevate the contact plate 35 to a higher position, and then whenthe'desired keys corresponding to the signals "which have beencontinuously actuated are depressed, as shown in Fig. 5, they will passto positions from which they will return to their normal positionsinwardly of the plate 35 when again released by the teacher. In order torelease all of the continuously operating signals after they have beensetfor operation by manipulation of the pedal 66, theteacher depressesthe third pedal 68 until it engages its stop 71, thus moving the rod 62to a higher position and causing a corresponding increased elevation ofthe plate 35, as illustrated in Fig. 6. All of the plates 33 will thenbe'released from contact with the plate 35-, and owing to theirflexibility they will spring back to their normal positions as shown byfull lines in Fig 6.

Instead of o crating the signals electric ally, they may be actuatedmechanically and the instruction given to the pupil may be by themanipulation of some of the keys on the same piano which is played bythe pupil..

This modification is illustrated in Fig. 10 where the bar 85 representsthe frame member at'the front edge of the keyboard 86. The pupil in thiscase manipulates some of the keys 86 adjacent one end of the keyboardand the signals are embodied in a series of balls or disks 87 arrangedin a row, oneof them being in vertical alinement with each one of thekeys. The disks or balls 87 are connected to rods 88 which are pivotedat intermediate points 89 and which are pro-.

vided at their opposite ends with weights 90 suspended therefrom andresting upon the upper surfaces of the keys 86 which are manipulated bythe teacher. When one of the keys is depressed, as shown in Fig. 10, theassociated weight 90 will cause the corresponding signal 87 to beelevated above a similar key onthat part of the keyboard which is beingplayed by 'the pupil, the

movement of the disk 87 out of alinement ders 75, each connected! by anoutlet conduit 76 with a common suction conduit 77 leading to the pum orbellows 73. Located within each of t ejcylinders 75 is a piston 78having a stem 79, carrying at its lower extremity a target or head 80.As long as suction is maintained within the cylinders by means of thepump 73, the partial vacuum so produced will hold the pistons 78adjacent the upper ends of the cylinders and.

the targets will be concealed behind a screen 81. In order to actuatethe targets 80 each cylinder 7 5 has leading therefrom a pipe 82 havingat its opposite extremity an air in let valve 83 controlled by themovement of the corresponding keys 72 of the masters instrument. Whenany one of the keys 72 is depressed, the valve 83 is opened to admitatmospheric air through the corresponding pipe 82 to the cylinder 75above the corresponding key of the pupils instrument. When the vacuum isthus relieved in the cylinder, the piston and associated target 80 Willfall so that the target will be revealed beneath the screen 81 andindicate .to the pupil that the adjacent key should be manipulated.lVhen the key 72 is released the air inlet will be closed and thereuponthe suction pump will reestablish a partial vacum in the correspondingcylinder and return the target to its normal position.

Although I have shown and described certain embodiments of the inventionfor purposes of illustration, it will be understood that my improvementsmay be constructed in various different forms without departing from thespirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is: i

1. The combination with a piano, of a series of signals each in registerwith one of the keys of the piano, an instrument having a plurality ofmembers to be manually manipulated, and means for actuating said signalsby the manipulation of said members to indicate the order in which saidkeys should be manipulated in playing a musical composition.

2. The combination with a piano,of a series of signals, one for each ofthe keys of the piano, a plurality of other keys ar-- Iangedin the formof a piano keyboard, and operating connections from each of saidlast-named keys to one of said signals where by the manipulation of saidlast-named keys will actuate said signals to indicate the succession inwhich the piano keys should be manipulated.

3. The combination with a series of iano keys, of a series of stationarysignals arranged to correspond to the keys of the piano,'a second seriesof keysarranged in the order of said first named keys, and pper- .atingconnections from each of said; lastnamed keys to the signal of thecorresponding piano key.

4. The combination with a piano, of a supporting member mounted abovethe keyboard thereof, a plurality of signals carried by said supportingmember each in register with one of the piano keys, and manuallyoperated means for actuating said signals to llli preindicate the orderin which a musical composition should be played on said piano by themanipulation of said keys.

5. The combination with a piano, of a supporting member mounted abovethe keyboard thereof, a plurality of signals carried by said supportingmember each 'in vertical alihe ment with one of the piano keys, meansfor actuating said signals in the order in which said keys should bemanipulated to play a musical composition, and means in register withsaid signals for indicating the musical note represented by each signal.

6. The combination with a musical instru-- ment having a plurality ofelements to be manually manipulated by the player, of a pluralityof'signals each fixed in register with one of said elements, means toactuate said signals in sequence to indicate the order in which saidelements should be manipulated to play a musical composition, and anadditional signal at the control of the operator for indicating rhythmand the like.

7. The combination with a piano, of a series of signalseach in registerwith one of the keys of the piano, an instrument having a plurality ofmembersto be manually manipulated, means for actuating said signals bythe manipulations of said members to indicate the order in which saidkeys should be manipulated in playing a musical composition, and anadditional signal at the control of the operator for indicating rhythmand the like.

8. l The combination with a musical instrument having a plurality ofelements to be manually manipulated by the player, of a plurality ofsignals each in register with one of said elements, means fornormallyactuating said signals in the same order and for the same length of timethat the corresponding elements should be manipulated to play a musicalcomposition, and means to maintain in continued actuation one or moreselected signals while the normal actuation of the remaining signals iscontinued.

9. The combination with a musicalinstrument having a plurality ofelements to be manually manipulated by the player, of a plurality ofsignals each in register withlone of said elements, means for normallyactuati g said signals in the same order and for the same length of timethat the corresponding elements should be manipulated to play a musicalcomposition, means to. maintain in continued-actuation one or moreselected signals while the normal actuation of the remaining signals iscontinued, and means in combination with said last-named means todiscontinue the actuation of said selected signals.

10. The combination with a musical instrument having a plurality ofelements to one of said elements, means for normally actuating saidsignals in the same order and for the same length of time that thecorresponding elements should be manipulated to play a musicalcomposition, means to maintain in continued actuation one or moreselected signals While. the normal actuation of the remaining signals iscontinued, and

means connected with said second-named means to discontinue theactuation of any number of said selected signals independ ently of theremainder of said selected signals. i

11. The combination with a musical instrument having a plurality ofelements to be manually manipulated by the player, of a series ctsignals each in register with one of said elements, a plurality ofmanually manipulated members, means for connecting each of'said memberswith one of said signals to effect the actuation of said signals in theorder in which said members are manipulated, and means operated by themanipulation of said members for maintaining the continued actuation ofany selected group of said signals by said firstmamed means after saidmembers having been released by the operator.

12. The combination with a musical instrument having a plurality ofelements to be manually manipulated by the player, of

a series of signals each in register with one of said elements, aplurality of manually manipulated members, means for connecting each ofsaid members with one of said signals to effect theactuation of saidsignals in 'the order in which said members are manutinuously actuatedsignals for discontinuing the continued actuation of said signalsindependently of each other.

13.'The combination with a musical instrument haying a plurality ofelements to be manually manipulated by the player, of

"a series of signals each in register with one of'said elements, aplurality of manually manipulated members, means for connecting each ofsaid members With one of said signals to .efiect the actuation of saidsignals in the order in which said members are manually manipulated,means operated by the manipulation of said members for maintaining thecontinued actuation of any selected group of sald signals after saidmemhere have been released by the operator, and

means for simultaneously discontinuing the actuation of said selectesignals.

14. The combination with a piano, of a series of signals each inregister with one of the keys of said piano, a plurality of other keysarranged in the form of a piano keyboard, an electric circuit comprisinga plurality of branches each including one of said signals for actuatingthe same, and contacts in said branch circuits each operated by one ofsaid second-named keys, said contacts being closed by the manipulationof said second-named keys.

- 15. The combination with a piano, of a series of signals each inregister with one of the keys of said piano, a plurality of other keysarranged in the form of a piano key board, an electric circuitcomprising a plurality of branches each including one of said signalsfor actuating the same, contacts in said branch circuits each operatedby one of said secondmamed keys, said contacts being closed by themanipulation of said second-named keys, means for restoring saidsecond-named keys to normal position after manipulation thereof, andmeans cooperating with said contacts to maintain the continued actuationof any selected signals by the corresponding branch circuits after saidsecond-named keys have returned to normal position. Y

16. The combination with a piano, of. a series of signals each inregister with one of the keys of said piano, a plurality of other keysarranged in the form of a piano key board, an electric circuitcomprising a plurality of branches each including one of said signalsfor actuating the same, contacts in said branch circuits each operatedby one of said second-named keys, said contacts being closed by themanipulation ofsaid second-named keys, means for restoring saidsecond-named keys to normalposition after manipulation thereof, meanscooperating with sald contacts to maintain the continued actuation ofany selected signals after saidsecond-named keys have returned to normalposition, and means cooperating with said contacts whereby the actuationof any of said selected signals may be discontinued by a second manipu-'.lation of the articular one of said second named keys w richcorresponds thereto.

17. The combination with a piano, of a series of signals" each inregister with one of the keys of said piano, a plurality of other keysarranged in the form of a piano keyboard, an electric circuit comprisinga plurality of branches each including one of said signals for actuatingthe same, contact members each carried b one of said second-named keysand eac connected in one of said branch'circuits, and a common contactmember connected in said circuit and mounted adjacent said first-namedcontact members but normally out of contact therewith, said first-namedcontact members be ing connected with said common contact member by themanipulationi of the corresponding second-hand keys.

18. The combination with a piano, of a series of signals each inregister with one of the keys of said piano, a plurality of other keysarranged in the order of said piano keys, an electric circuit comprisinga plurality of branches each including one of said signals for actuatingthe same, contact members each carried by one of said second-named keysand each connected in one of said branch circuits, at common contactmember connected in said circuit and mounted adjacent said first-namedcontact members but normally out of contact therewith, said first-namedcontact members be-.

ing connected with said common contact member by the manipulation of thecorresponding second-named keys, and means at the control of theoperator for changing the position of said common contact member tocause said first-named contact members to continue in contact therewithafter the corresponding second-named keys have been released by theoperator.

19. The combination with a piano, of a series of signals each inregister with One of the keys of said piano, a plurality of other keysarranged in the order of said piano keys, an electric circuit comprisinga plurality of branches each including one of said signals for actuatingthe same, contact members. each carried by one of said second-named keysand connected in one of said branch circuits, a common contact memberconnected in said circuit and mounted adjacent said first-named contactmembers but normally out of contact therewith, said first-named cont-actmembers be-- ing connected with said common contact member by themanipulation of the corresponding second-named keys, means at thecontrol of the operator for changing the positiorr of said commoncontact member to of the corresponding second-named keys.

In testimony whereof I have subscribed my name.

EDWIN M. SCHANTZ.

